Small budget, big adventures.

Menu

Nyepi Day in Bali

BALI, INDONESIA – If you are ever wondering if it will be worth experiencing Nyepi Day in Bali, my short answer will be – YES!

To be honest, I was not aware about this when I booked my flight from Yogyakarta to Bali via AirAsia. I was only able to know about this Hindu celebration when a travel article popped up on my Facebook newsfeed. In short, I have to throw away all my plans for the 3 days in Bali that will be affected by this celebration.

It turned out to be a very memorable experience! On the eve of Nyepi we get to see the Ogoh Ogoh, experience the Nyepi itself (Day of Silence) and enjoy Ngembak Geni, the day after.

Some practicalities in the Nyepi Day in Bali

This is a big event in Bali hence the locals are very busy. It is a time for Balinese people to be with their family and celebrate their traditions. Tour operators and transport services maybe limited. Some roads are even closed as early as a day before the Ogoh Ogoh. Shops, restaurants, massage/spa establishments are also affected. However they will post their closing time as early as possible to inform their clients.

At first I wanted to stay longer in this secluded area of Bali. However due to its location, I have decided that it would be best to stay near Kuta beach to experience at first hand the Ogoh Ogoh parade.

When booking Grand Whiz Hotel Nusa Dua stay at the premier rooms with direct access to the pool. The whole hotel itself is well maintained and the room amenities are above average and the sheets and linens are smelling fresh and clean.

After a delightful buffet breakfast in Grand Whiz Hotel Nusa Dua I have booked a transportation to Kuta Beach. We were advised to leave early from the hotel otherwise it can be difficult going near Kuta Beach as roads can be closed as early as before noon.

Amaris Hotel Lebak Bene Kuta – Bali is located near the food places frequented by most travelers. The place is also new so it is not yet rundown by weary tourists. For its price, this is an affordable hotel and the whole prospect of being just indoors, for me there is no need to splurge on the hotel nightly rate.

They offer buffet food (breakfast/lunch/early dinner) for a bargain price per person. Initially we thought we needed to stock food in our room. The room itself is quite small but I am not complaining. They gave us a list of movies that they will show for the 24 hours we are under “hotel arrest.” A letter explaining that we cannot make noise, open windows or go outside has been quite educational. Only in emergency cases that people can go outside and there will be locals to implement this.

The best view of the Ogoh Ogoh parade will be from the Jalan Legian, main tourist road. It starts from the Bali Bombing Memorial. It will not be easy to be missed since even from afar you can already see the grotesque creative floats depicting demons based on Balinese Hinduism. Interestingly enough these floats are burned after the parade near the cemetery.

After a ton of photos, we decided to go to Kuta Beach to see the sunset. This will be our first chance to look at this beach and explore its famous beachfront.

Nyepi Day in Bali is a Day of Silence

As mentioned, Amaris Hotel Lebak Bene Kuta – Bali are near famous restaurants in Kuta: Bene Lane Cafe, Warung Tujuh, Atithi, Cafe Romano, Black House Burgers and many more. So before and after Nyepi Day we had a lot of food choices depending on our appetite.

It was a lazy day inside the hotel. It was a regular routine of watching TV, checking Facebook and eating. We have not checked out the indoor swimming pool of Amaris Hotel Lebak Bene Kuta – Bali as there were couple of noisy children oblivious of what the Balinese people were celebrating.